He told the chat-show host: “It felt like it was my dirty little secret, like I had chains round me and I couldn’t say anything and I couldn’t be who I wanted to be. I felt so alone and trapped in who I was.”

He then told family and friends at his birthday party in May. “They are all so supportive of me... but to have all the support from the public as well has just been a bonus and, honestly, it makes me smile just thinking about it.”

They are thought to have met up in various cities over the summer, while Tom filmed an ITV2 gap year documentary, and in the States during October.

(Image: Rex Features)

Given that this is his first gay relationship, fans may be surprised to hear he made the first move.

“At the end of the night, we hadn’t even talked, and I don’t normally do this, but I wrote in his notes with my number and put ‘call me’ with a wink face and then I had a text in the morning and I was like ‘I can’t believe I just did that’ and then I was like ‘oh my god’.”

In his video, Tom didn’t spell out whether he was gay or bisexual, leading to discussion online.

He explained: “To be honest, everything is all pretty new and I don’t see any point in putting a label on it – gay, bi or straight.”

And he told how he’s already had messages on Facebook and Twitter from young people who felt able to come out to their parents the same day.

“The reaction has been 100 times better than I thought it would be. I know some people can be a bit negative about it but overall it has just been amazing.

"I was absolutely terrified about doing this as it was so unknown but for people to be so supportive about it, it has been amazing.”